This invention relates to a flashlight and to a housing or body, which is particularly suited for a flashlight, which is not circular cylindrical.
A typical flashlight has a circular cylindrical body which is engaged with a head and a tail cap. At least one of the head and tail cap is engaged with the body by means of a screw mechanism with complementary screw threads being formed on those parts of the components which are to be screwed together. The widespread use of a circular cylindrical body, in a flashlight, can probably be attributed to the fact that batteries have a similar shape, and to the ease of creating screw threads on circular components as a means of engaging the components with each other.
A flashlight which is based on a round or a circular design does not necessarily give a high packing density, is prone to rolling and often has a shape or appearance which is aesthetically unappealing.
Another factor which is encountered particularly when an interior of a flashlight is to be sealed from atmosphere, eg. for waterproofing or safety reasons, is that if a seal such as an O-ring is positioned between two parts which are to be screwed together, the O-ring can be subjected to forces which do not lie perpendicular to the plane occupied by the O-ring and this can cause damage to the O-ring.